


Blizzard

by alassenya



Series: Pride, Passion and Prejudice [3]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Elves, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rivendell, Survival, Wilderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-07-16
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:31:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alassenya/pseuds/alassenya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Legolas and Haldir have spent the summer travelling around the northern realms, but get caught in a blizzard as they are making their way back to Imladris.  Set about 200 years before "Lord of the Rings" and about 300 years after "Hot Summer Night".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blizzard

**Author's Note:**

> _Hithaeglir_ \- the misty mountains  
>  _Mellyrn_ \- plural of _mallorn_ , the trees of Lothlorien

_The Northern Reaches: somewhere between the Ettenmoors and the Hithaeglir_  
III 2833 December

 

Haldir shivered. Legolas looked up at him, ready to tease him once more, but held his tongue. Haldir really did look cold, and miserable. He also looked very uncomfortable, sitting on Lach, which was Legolas's mount, while Legolas walked to give Lach some respite.

He sighed, his exasperation tinged with genuine remorse. He had mentioned, once or twice, or possibly more, that winter would come early in the northern reaches, and hard, but they had lingered in the mountains enjoying a balmy autumn, until long after the equinox. And even then they might have made better time had not Ril put his hoof down a rabbit hole two days previously, breaking his leg. Haldir had wept as Legolas had put an end to the animal's misery, but they had had no choice. They had to travel south, as quickly as possible.

Now Lach was loaded with both packs, and carried Haldir, who had a sprained wrist, a twisted knee and three broken ribs, which Legolas knew were paining him even though he kept his face impassive.

The sky was iron grey and the wind blew from the north-east, as it had done for the past two days. Haldir might not know what it meant, but Legolas certainly did: snow.

* * *

Four hours later Legolas was praying to Elbereth as they found themselves still fifty miles north of Imladris and about to be caught in the first blizzard of the season. Legolas knew that they had to find shelter soon, for while elves did not feel the cold as much as mortal creatures, they could still die of it, especially when still weakened from injury. He nudged Lach and turned east, into the fir trees, heading for a break in the line of the hill that might harbour a suitable cave or crevice.

His instinct was right. At some time, possibly during the Great Battle against Morgoth when all Arda had trembled with the forces of destruction, the ground had split, one side dropping away in a jagged line. There were indentations, hollows, and crevices, but all too small for his purposes. He persevered, until eventually, a few yards from their path, he could see a darker shadow, an opening that might be a cave. He left the path and quickly searched inside. Though not deep, it was still shelter, and it faced away from the wind. One side was even high enough to accommodate the horse. It would do.

He settled Haldir at the back of the cave, then led Lach in. He would see about grooming him later, but first he had to get a fire going. He looked around. There was plenty of dead wood on the ground but would it be dry enough to burn? Perhaps if he started it off with a few scraps of cloth? He had an old shirt in his pack, torn in a moment of passion a few weeks back. He had mended it, but the seam was starting to give way again. It would have to do.

He collected as much wood as he could find in the immediate surroundings, dusting the snow off and stacking it by the mouth of the cave that they had found. Though they had no axe, he anticipated that they would be able to burn some of the larger branches in sections, moving the new wood up over the embers. A couple of these he stood up against the rockface, trying to create as much of a windbreak as possible. He broke off some twigs and whittled shavings from a larger branch, building a tiny mound above the coiled strip of linen he had torn from the shirt. He kindled a spark from the flint that he carried with him and set it to the linen, which hesitated a while before catching. He blew gently on the infant flame, willing the wood to catch, nursing it with his breath while shielding it from the tempest behind him. He added a couple of larger twigs, and then some of the more solid wood. The flames leapt to engage each new piece, growing more vigorous with every minute.

Satisfied at last, he wrapped the flint and placed it back in his pack. The original had been a present from Aravorn, many years ago, and he had found it so useful he had replaced it several times now. There were not many elves who cared to carry such an item with them - but then, there were not many elves like Legolas either.

He set a small pot of water to boil, and into a beaker he crumbled a few leaves from the herb pouch in Haldir's pack. He was sorry that they had no honey to sweeten it, or wine to disguise the flavour, but that couldn't be helped. Once the infusion had steeped he handed it to Haldir.

"Here, love, you must drink this. It will help."

Haldir made a face. "It's bitter - you know I hate the taste of athelas."

"I know it's bitter - but you need it, Haldir. Those ribs are not healing as they ought. And if nothing else, you need the heat."

Haldir sighed, and drank. Legolas poured a cup of the hot water for himself, then added fresh snow until the water had cooled to tepid. This he gave to Lach, who drank deeply. Legolas melted more snow for the horse, each time making sure that the water was not cold enough to chill him. While Lach was drinking, he took off the packs, saddle and tack. He groomed him quickly, then covered the horse with a blanket and gave him a small handful of oats to eat. He would have to be sparing with them - even a horse as sweet-natured as Lach would become restive on a combination of oats and no exercise - but he was very glad that he had something to feed the horse. He certainly wasn't going to find any grass or hay for a while.

Haldir had finished the infusion, and looked as if he was about to fall asleep. Legolas cleaned the pot and refilled it once more with snow, setting it beside the fire. He checked the supply of wood - pine burns fast - and judged that they had enough to get them through the night. At last he was satisfied that there was no more he could do this night. He sat down beside Haldir, settled his back against one of the packs, and pulled Haldir up against him so that his lover's head rested on his shoulder. Then he carefully wrapped their one blanket around them and closed his eyes.

* * *

Crack!! Thump!!

Legolas woke in an instant and sprang up to reassure Lach, who had started at the sudden noise.

"Shh there, easy friend. It is only a tree cracking in the cold. Nothing to be worried about. Nothing at all. Easy there." His gentle murmurs soothed the animal, and after a few minutes Legolas was confident enough to release his hold on mane and muzzle. After glancing at Haldir and seeing that his lover was asleep again, he checked the fire. He had replenished it steadily through the night, and he noted, with some dismay, that they only had one more branch left apart from those acting as a windbreak. He would have to find more wood - and he had a fair idea just where he might be able to find it.

He moved the log on the fire and looked out of the cave. It was after dawn, but only a dull, grey-blue, half-hearted attempt at daylight could be seen. The snow still fell and the wind still blew, and Legolas did not feel like stepping outside at all: it would be all too easy to become lost in that featureless landscape. He turned back and dragged a length of rope out from his pack. After tying one end to a similar length from Haldir's pack, and securing the free ends to Haldir's ankle and his own waist, he felt confident enough to venture into the storm.

As he moved outside the cave mouth the full force of the wind hit him, and he staggered. He set his shoulders forward and moved in the direction from which the sound had come. After about 50 yards he found it, a large branch lying above the snow, having broken off the enormous tree that stretched above him. He thanked Elbereth for her assistance, and exerted all his strength to drag the branch back to the cave. It was green, and it would spit and smoke, but it would burn.

For nearly two more days the storm raged, and the elves huddled in their shelter. Haldir had slept for most of that time, and Legolas was glad of it, for he could tell that Haldir's breathing was not improving as fast as it ought. Legolas blamed himself for all this. He should have insisted that they leave earlier. Haldir hadn't known - though the marchwarden had travelled through much of Arda, he had never journeyed north of Imladris before, and had rarely visited Mirkwood. He did not know how suddenly and completely winter could descend upon the land. He did not know how much the cold sapped the strength even from elven limbs, or how difficult it was to find grazing for the horses. Legolas had known, but like Haldir he had wanted to put off their return to elven realms as long as possible.

They had been so happy up here in the wilds, tramping the hills, exploring the moors, taking in the breath-taking beauty of the view from Mount Gundabad. The air had seemed cleaner, fresher, stronger, and both of them had felt more alive, more themselves, than they had in years. Away from elves and men they had been free to be themselves: not prince and marchwarden, just Haldir and Legolas. It had been a good summer, and as long as they both reached Imladris safely, he would not regret a moment of it.

* * *

On the morning of the third day, Legolas woke a little after dawn to find the wind had dropped, the clouds had dispersed, and the sun was struggling to climb over the hills. He stepped out of the cave and smiled. Snow lay all around them, and the land was almost silent. Far off he could hear the creaks and cracks of frozen branches in the forest, and the occasional chirp of birds. The sky was a patchwork of blue and grey, with a pale sun peeking through the remaining clouds.

It would be a cold slow journey through the snow, but they would make it to Imladris. They had to.

* * *

They stumbled across the border late in the afternoon, having trudged through deep snow for three days with no food and only a little water. It had not snowed again, but the weather had remained frigid, and they had not been as lucky with their shelter after leaving the cave.

Though Haldir's knee and wrist had improved greatly with the rest, his lungs were still troubling him, and Legolas was thankful that they still had Lach so that he could force Haldir to ride for part of the way. It seemed to him that Haldir was coughing up more phlegm from his lungs, and he was worried. He had also been shivering through the nights, and though Legolas had wrapped him as warmly as possible and had huddled close to Lach, he hadn't been able to stop the tremors. He had forced the pace this day, trying desperately to get to Imladris before nightfall, but it was hard work in the snow, and Lach was exhausted. So was he.

Legolas sensed the change in the air as they entered the realm of Vilya and gave thanks once more to Elbereth. He hailed the nearest patrol and requested assistance in getting Haldir to Lord Elrond. From that point on, everything was a blur until he woke the next morning to find himself looking into Elrond's clear grey eyes.

He sat up, bedclothes spilling all around him. "How is Haldir?" It was the first, the only question he had.

"He has a form of pneumonia from his injury, but he will recover."

"Truly?" Legolas let his breath out with a sigh of relief. "I was so worried. I knew that he was sick but I didn't know what to do. I had only athelas and willow-bark, and neither of them seemed to do much good."

"They would have helped a little. But it is well that you reached us when you did, and not a few days later. I don't suppose it would do any good to tell you that you are both lucky to be alive. Why did you not come south sooner? We have been expecting you for over a month."

Legolas shrugged. "It was so beautiful up there that we didn't want to leave. Have you seen the mountains, Elrond? The views from Carn Dûm and Mount Gundabad were worth the trip alone. I was so high I thought I could even see the sea, had the air been but a little clearer."

"Yes, I have seen the mountains of the north, young Legolas." Elrond's voice was soft and sad, and Legolas remembered, too late, that Elrond had seen the Ered Engrin and the towers of Thangorodrim overthrown at the end of the First Age, nearly six thousand years before.

"I am sorry, I forgot."

"Do not forget, in future, that Arda can take as well as give. Even elves cannot survive for long in the winters of the north, not without shelter and food. You risked too much, Legolas."

Legolas bowed his head, the admonishment stinging all the more sharply as it echoed the thoughts he had been directing at himself since Ril's injury. "I will not risk Haldir's life again, Lord Elrond. You have my word on that."

Elrond was silent for a moment, then sighed. How could he explain to Legolas that such a promise was impossible to keep? Instead, he advised the prince to remain in bed for the day if he wanted the chance to see Haldir the next. After protesting that he was well, Legolas eventually wriggled back under the bedclothes, and would have been astounded to be told that he was asleep in five minutes.

* * *

It was five whole days before Elrond was happy to let Haldir out of the healing wing. The marchwarden had slept all the first day and half of the second, waking refreshed but still weak. On the third day he was allowed out of bed and sat with Legolas on the balcony, soaking up the weak winter sun. On the fourth day he asked Elrond if he could leave, but the Healer was still concerned about his lungs, and gave him another bitter-tasting infusion to drink. On the fifth day Haldir told Elrond that he was leaving, but was talked into staying one more night. Haldir only agreed because Legolas promised to make it up to him as soon as possible, but Elrond pretended that he hadn't heard that.

The next morning, though, Elrond visited his patient early. After listening closely to his chest and examining his ribs and knee, he graciously acknowledged that Haldir was well enough to move to a guest room. He managed to maintain his severe countenance while advising Haldir not to exert himself and not to miss any meals. His astute eyes did not miss the demure look on Legolas's face, and he made a mental note to arrange for meals to be delivered to Legolas's room, for he was sure that neither of them would appear in the dining room for at least 24 hours.

Legolas and Haldir walked serenely out of the healing wing, arm in arm, and made their way back towards the main house. They greeted several of the household as they passed, and even stopped to exchange a brief word with Glorfindel. It did not escape Elrond's eye, as he watched from the balcony of the healing wing, that their steps became a little more rapid as they went; and Glorfindel heard them get a little faster yet as they went up the stairs; but it was Erestor who caught sight of them for a second as they raced down the corridor to Legolas's room, and he couldn't help but smile to see the two of them so happy.

* * *

No sooner had they closed the door behind them than Legolas found himself slammed against the wall, his mouth covered in a bruising kiss and his body gripped by eager hands.

"Hah! So much for Elrond's advice! I see that you have almost all of your strength back." He laughed around the kiss, feeling Haldir laugh with him.

"Indeed I do. And I am sorely in need of exercise, after having been cooped up for five days."

Legolas smiled, his voice deceptively innocent. "Exercise? But it is snowing, dearest, and we have had enough of running in the snow."

"I was not thinking of running."

"There are no _mellyrn_ here for you to climb, sweetheart."

"I was not thinking of climbing either."

"You would surely not go riding, love? The horses would founder."

"On the contrary, I know of a sweet-tempered stallion who would give me a very good ride... as long as he remembers who masters him!"

In an instant Legolas had whirled them around, forcing Haldir against the wall with all his weight. "And what if the rider's mount runs away with him?" he growled, his lips hovering a mere inch away from Haldir's, the length of his body pressed against up against his lover's.

Haldir smiled, knowing it would inflame his lover even further. "Then the rider would have to think of a suitable punishment," he purred, tilting his head to kiss Legolas's jaw, then gently caressing the sensitive skin of the neck with lips and nose.

Legolas couldn't help it. Haldir's voice travelled straight to his groin, inflaming him even further. He ground his hips forward, and was pleased to note Haldir's sharp intake of breath as desire met desire. "And what possible punishment would be suitable?" he whispered.

"Why, another ride, of course. Hard, fast, bruising, all-consuming" - Legolas shuddered as each word was accompanied by a thrust from Haldir's hips and the scrape of tongue and teeth along his throat - "Oh, yes, I would consume you with my passion, devour you with my need, burn you with the heat of my desire. I want to feel you shatter as I come within you, and then I will remake you around me so that you will never leave."

The fierce possessiveness in Haldir's voice overwhelmed Legolas. Suddenly weak, he gave no resistance as Haldir pushed him backwards, holding him upright until they reached the bed. He fell back onto the covers and quickly moved over so that he was lying full-length, his arms above his head, his leggings bulging. Haldir climbed onto the bed and straddled him, undoing his tunic with astonishing speed. Legolas reached up but Haldir had stripped off his own tunic before his hands could even reach the laces. Haldir bent over him, kissing him deeply, letting his tongue roam through Legolas's mouth until the prince was writhing. His cock was so hard it hurt, and he thrust his hips upward, gasping as his groin was pressed against Haldir's.

Haldir pulled back, catching his breath. Leggings were quickly unlaced and Legolas lifted his hips to aid their removal. Then Haldir reached a hand to his own laces, freeing his erection but not removing the leggings. He knelt there, just out of reach, one hand encircling his cock and moving in slow, sensuous strokes, his thumb finding the pearl of creamy liquid that appeared and smearing it over the head, while he gave the prince a look of such pure, unadulterated lust that Legolas was glad he was already lying down.

Leaning forward, Haldir kissed Legolas again, then let his mouth drift slowly down the throat, pausing at the collarbone, turning to give a bite and a lick to each firm nipple, dipping his tongue into the hollow of the navel. He moved back down the prince's legs and caressed the erection that stood proud. Legolas moaned and reached for him, but Haldir grasped the questing hands and held them to the coverlet. He lowered his head and ran his tongue over the full length in long, slow, liquid strokes. Legolas threw back his head and gave a groan so deep that the wood in the bed frame resonated.

Haldir continued to tease him, torturing him with flicks of the tongue, tender kisses and the gentlest of bites along the length, before running his tongue around the head, tasting the musky essence that was his lover. Legolas had progressed to the point where he emitted a keening, mewling cry with each touch. Haldir moved so that he knelt between Legolas's legs, and was pleased to see Legolas opening up for him, but it was a little too soon for that. He positioned himself and gave a few more wet kisses to the head of Legolas's cock, took a breath and swallowed him deep, taking almost the whole length right down into his throat. Then he hummed.

Legolas didn't mewl - he yowled, like a cat in heat. His back arched so high that he thought he would break in two. He couldn't bear this... he couldn't live through this.

Haldir released his hands, but Legolas was so far gone he barely noticed. Haldir brought one had around to fondle the velvet sac, while the other circled the prince's opening. He felt the tension building and sucked harder as he moved up and down the shaft, then hummed once more.

Legolas exploded into his mouth, dark, musky, bittersweet cream filling him and spilling out onto them both. Haldir swallowed what he could, then licked his lover clean as Legolas slowly subsided. It was a full minute before Legolas was able to open his eyes and smile at his lover.

'I thought you wanted to ride me." He lifted his arms to Haldir's shoulders, trying to pull him forward, but he had no strength.

"I do." Haldir moved up anyway and kissed him, letting Legolas explore his mouth, sharing the taste and the warmth with him.

"So what are you waiting for?" He wrapped his legs around Haldir's waist, pulling them into a full-body embrace.

"Firstly, I need to know where you put the oil."

"In the bedside drawer, silly, where else?" Legolas smiled and watched Haldir reach over to the drawer, his hand groping around until he found the small vial and brought it out. "What was second?"

"You need to roll over."

"Mmm, I don't have the strength."

"You will have."

"Will I?"

"Yes, you will." Haldir gave a small, secret smile as Legolas let his arms drop to his sides in feigned exhaustion, then dropped his head to catch a nipple between his teeth, laughing as Legolas gasped and his cock twitched. He continued to tease one nipple, then the other, until Legolas found the strength to roll them both over.

Bright golden hair flowed down over them both, tickling Haldir's shoulders. Legolas let his hand roam casually over Haldir's chest and stomach, adding a mild pinch here and there, scratching with his nails, smoothing with his palms, and tickling with finger pads, until Haldir was squirming. The guardian's cock was hard and weeping, and he wanted to be inside his lover. After drawing Legolas into another deep kiss, he brought the vial of oil, still held in his hand, up into view, and whispered, "Roll over, my sweet. I want you on your hands and knees."

Legolas rolled, and drew himself up into the desired position. Haldir poured a generous amount of oil into his hand and ran his fingers over the prince's buttocks, over his balls, over his rapidly swelling cock, and back up into that deep cleft where lay the entrance to his love's innermost being. He pressed two fingers in, rolling them gently around the ring of muscle, then added a third, reaching deeper inside until he felt the secret pleasure spot. He paused as Legolas gave a slight shudder, then proceeded to caress the gland gently, running his fingers around it, over it, stroking up and down the central groove, until Legolas was no longer shuddering but bucking against his hand.

"Now, now!" he pleaded, pushing back on Haldir's fingers, barely suppressing a growl as Haldir withdrew. But it was only a temporary loss. Haldir reached for the oil again and coated his erection liberally, before grasping Legolas by the hips and thrusting himself inside, in one smooth movement.

Legolas gave a deep, satisfied sigh as Haldir entered him, the momentary pain forgotten as he relished the feeling of his lover inside him, completing him, making him feel whole once more.

"This is where you belong, my love," he whispered.

"I know."

Words were forgotten as they moved against each other, with each other, around each other in a perfect rhythm. Haldir lost himself in the exquisite sensations that each moment brought him: the heat of Legolas around him; the sound of his lover's breathing; the pounding of his own heart; the trickle of sweat down his chest. His thrusts became a little faster, a little deeper, and Legolas responded by pushing back harder. Haldir looped his arms around Legolas's waist and chest, pulling him back so that Legolas was nearly upright, rising and falling on his cock, writhing with pleasure, his head thrown back in abandon. With every rise and fall the sensitive underside of Haldir's cock was dragged over Legolas's prostate, driving them both mad with pleasure.

Haldir felt his balls tightening as the wave built up inside him, and with one hand he grasped Legolas's cock, pumping firmly. Legolas climaxed with a shout, and the contraction of his muscles triggered Haldir's release. Haldir gave a strangled half-cry, half-sob as he felt his seed shoot deep into his lover, holding on as tightly as he could as he felt all his newly-regained strength disappearing like water out of a sieve. He managed to retain enough control to lower Legolas gently back down onto the bed, before pulling out and lying down beside him, exhausted.

"Shattered and remade."

Haldir opened his eyes and looked over at Legolas, who had turned to face him and was gazing at him with adoring eyes.

"Mmm?"

"You wanted to feel me shatter, then remake me."

"Yes, I did. I felt it. I think I shattered too."

Legolas smiled ruefully, then took his hand, raising it to his lips. "I really don’t think that Elrond would have approved of that."

"I don't care. I needed it, I wanted it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even if I am now so weak that I couldn't fight off a ten-day-old kitten."

Legolas grinned. "I believe that I can put that information to good use... in an hour or so."

"Such a long time to wait, my sweet. Are you growing old?"

"Never. I am merely taking into account your age and infirmities, my dear."

The gentle teasing continued for some minutes until they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Legolas grabbed a robe from the end of the bed and strode over to open it. Glorfindel stood there, holding a wine jug, while behind him was a serving maid with a large tray of food. The maid put the tray on the table and then left immediately, blushing. Glorfindel deposited the jug beside it, then turned towards the bed, his eyes twinkling in amused appreciation of the view that Haldir presented.

"Lord Elrond's compliments, Legolas, and he would like to know that at least one of his orders will be obeyed. He also requests your presence at dinner in the main hall - tomorrow night."

Haldir laughed out loud, while Legolas gave a slight bow, the demure smile appearing once more on his face as he answered Glorfindel.

"Please convey to Lord Elrond our deepest gratitude at his invitation and his kind thoughts, and assure him that we will of course be in the main hall for dinner tomorrow evening... and not a minute before."

Glorfindel bowed slightly in return, and made a smooth exit. As he paused outside the threshold, he heard the patter of elven feet, the thump of a large body landing on the bed, and a cascade of happy giggles. He smiled, and walked away.


End file.
